Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar
Play by William Shakespeare. Director/Co-Designer: Jo Loth. Jo Loth Production. Events Centre, Caloundra, Qld. 17 – 19 Aug, 2017

Women playing traditional male roles in classical theatre are nothing new. Breeches roles have always been a staple of theatre, especially in opera and that most English of traditions pantomime. Even Shakespeare was not immune to creating roles where women disguise themselves as men. So, coming to this new all (mostly) female cast version of Julius Caesar is not asking an audience to make that great a leap of faith. The only question is does the gender-switch clarify or hinder the playwright’s original intent and in this case director Jo Loth has succeeded admirably.

We are in a dystopian Mad Max world on a stripped-down stage with swathes of khaki tent calico and milk crates and supermarket trolley props. The sound of a helicopter overhead is heard as its searchlights sweep the stage to a dirty electric guitar riff. The cast assemble and gather in a group to hail Caesar, who wears motor-cycle boots, stressed skinny jeans and a grey-silver coat. Cassius and Brutus emerge and the machinations of the plot start to evolve in a skilfully edited 95-minute version of the text.

Angel Kosch's Brutus in black jeans, singlet, boots and tatts, gave a performance that was refreshingly free of aggresive attitude. She was a commanding presence – noble but indecisive, likewise Mary Eggleston’s Cassius whose portrayal cleverly disguised her ruthless guile. Best performance of the production was however Rainee Skinner’s Antonia, who was head and shoulders above everyone else on stage. Her line-readings were excellent. Also noticed were Michelle Lamarca (Caesar) and Annie Sterling (Porta). Ear-splitting static accompanied the frenzied stabbing of Caesar (a brutally poetic scene), while music punctuated the action, with at one-time a slow minor-keyed “Bad Moon Rising” and an effective finale of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

I caught the matinee performance which was full of school kid groups. That they remained attentive throughout with no bad behaviour or giggles spoke volumes about Loth’s success.

Peter Pinne       

 

Images: Rainee Skinner as Antonia, and Angel Kosch as Brutus, left, and Michelle Lamarca as Caesar, right.

Photographer: Travis Macfarlane.

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